How do you disable Copilot in windows 11

Question

How do you disable Copilot in windows 11

BRIAN GIRARD 5

I want to disable Copilot on my new HP laptop w/ Win 11. It is a feature I am not interested in because it is pervasive and it uses resources I do not want to give up. I am not a fan of Windows 11 and the features it has forced on me that makes utilizing the system out of the box confusing (file manager), Onedrive, to the point I'm looking to switch operating systems. I have been supported MS for many years being a MS trainer, consultant and pusher of their technologies. No longer. The push to make my system just a terminal is the wrong path for me.

Neil D 34,010 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-11T18:52:15.5066667+00:00

Where there are options to turn off Copilot you can change them.

In Settings search copilot and turn off what is found. Using Edge go to Settings (in Edge) and do the same.

2 answers

Your answer

Neil D 34,010 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-11T18:52:15.5066667+00:00

Where there are options to turn off Copilot you can change them.

In Settings search copilot and turn off what is found. Using Edge go to Settings (in Edge) and do the same.

Answer 1

Hi BRIAN GIRARD,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A Forum.

On Windows devices, Copilot can appear in a few different forms, and removal depends on which one is installed. Here are some possible options that you can try to remove or turn Microsoft Copilot off.

If Copilot appears as a regular app in your list of installed programs, it can usually be removed completely.

Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
Locate Microsoft Copilot then select Uninstall

On some Windows 11 systems, Copilot is integrated into the operating system. In these cases, it may not be listed as a standard app. While it can’t be fully removed from system files, it can be turned off so it no longer appears or runs.

Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Copilot OFF
Open Settings > Personalization > Text input > Customize Copilot key on keyboard (Optional)

For Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise devices, IT‑level settings (such as Group Policy or registry options) can also be used to keep Copilot permanently disabled.

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Hendrix-V 17,945 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-15T07:12:59.4766667+00:00

Hi,

I just wanted to follow up and check if the information I provided was helpful. If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.

Answer 2

To disable Copilot in Windows 11, you can use the Group Policy setting called TurnOffWindowsCopilot. Here are the steps you can follow:

Open the Local Group Policy Editor: You can do this by typing gpedit.msc in the Windows search bar and pressing Enter.
Navigate to the Policy: Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot.
Configure the Policy: Find the setting named Turn off Windows Copilot. Set it to Enabled to disable Copilot.
Apply Changes: Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Alternatively, if you are managing devices through MDM, you can set the policy via the MDM configuration as well.

This policy setting prevents users from accessing Copilot, and the Copilot icon will not appear on the taskbar.

References:

Policy CSP - WindowsAI